Improvement in water-proofing- fabrics



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JOHN STENHOUSE, OI! 17 RODNEY STREET, PENTONVILLE, LONDON, ENGLAND, AS- SIGNOB TO ARTHUR CHENEY AND ALONZO MILLIKEN, OF BOSTON, MASSAGHU- SETTS.

Letters Patent No. 97,983, dated December 14, 1869; patented in England, January 8, 1862.

T IMPROVEMENT m wa'mn-raoorme reanrcs.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J on Srnsnousn, of 17 Rodney street, Pentonville,- London, England, chemist, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rendering certain Substances less Pervious to Air and Liquids, and also less liable, to decay, and I hereby declare the following to be a'full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My said invention relates to the use of the substance called par-affine, in a solid state, for the purpose of rendering various substances less pervious to air and liquids.

The substances to which I propose to, apply the parafiine, are wood, leather, paper, and textile fabrics composed of cotton,"linen, wool, or silk; and my method of applying the paraffiue. to such substances consists in coating or impregnating them therewith.

One way in which I treat leather and textile fabrics is as follows:

I take a plate of iron, or other metal, the upper surface of which is quite clean, and this I heat to a temperature of from 130? to 250 Fahrenheit, or even higher, if desirable, either by placing it over a suitable'ihrnace, or by means-of low or high-pressure steam, or ametallic or other bath.

On this plate I stretch out the cloth or leather which I wish to coat or impregnate, and hold it ti ht to soften or melt the parafline easily, I then rub over it, on the wrong side of the cloth, a fiat rectangular block of solid paraiiine, with the hand or otherwise, so as to coat its surface as evenly as possible. The cloth is then strongly compressed, by means of a hot fiat-iron, or hot rollers, 01' other suitable arrangement, in order to distribute the paraiiine more equally among the fibres.

Then the coating or impregnation of the fibres is completed, itvis taken off and allowed to cool.

Sometimes, instead of a fiat block of paraifine, I employ a roller of that materiahimade by pouring melted parafiine around a wooden core or axis, placed in'a suitable mould. The cloth, which has been .previousl y warmed, is then drawn in a contrary direction to the roller, with which it is kept in very close contact, by suitable pressure.

"This plan will serve also for preparing wateleproof paper. V

The thorough incorporation of the parafiine with the cloth is completed by calendering between hot metallic rollers, as in the. previous case;

Sometimes, also, I draw the warmed cloth over a bar, of any suitable form, of parafline, instead of over Parafline can likewise be applied to cloth and leather,

by rubbing it on strongly, when cold, and then passing a hot iron over its surface, but the methods previously described, I have found more rapid.

' At other times I. take solid paraffine, which I beat in"suitable vessels, until it is not only melted, but its temperature is'raised considerably above its meltingpoint. A temperature of from 130 to 250 Fahren-n heit, is found to answer very well.- A plate of iron, or, other metal is heated to a temperature considerably above the melting-point .of paraiiine, and on this plate a sheet of stout paper, or other absorbent ma terial, such as linen, cotton, or woollen cloth, is placed, and evenly coated over with the melted parafiine, by means of a brush or other suitable instrument.

' The fabric or leather, which it is wished to impregnate, is then spread out on the paraffine-mrface above mentioned, usually with the wrong side of the cloth downward, and if thought desirable, a second paraffined surface is laid upon it, so as to bring the para-ffine in contact with both of its sides, and the wh'ole is strongly compressed, by means of a hot fiat-iron, or by passing it between hot metallic rollers.

lVhen the impregnation is completed, the material is taken out and allowed to cool.

When fabrics of considerable length have to be treated with parafiine, the process can be made continuous, bypassing them over one 'or more hot wooden or metallic rollers, coated with parafiine from working in a bath of that substance. The excess of parafiine is removed by means of what is called a gaugespreader, having a gauger or knife fixed above it, and furnished with screws, so as to regulate the amount of parafiine applied to the roller.

The amonnt of parai'line can also be regulated by means of a brush, or'similar apparatus, also acting on a roller, the thorough incorporation .of the paraflino and fabric being subsequently completed with hot rollers, by means of which any excess of paraiiine can also be removed.

The quantities of parafiine which are appliedto. fabrics, and the temperature to which I expose them, vary exceedingly,.according to their nature, that is to say, according to the thickness of the fabric, and the delicacy of the colors, as anypractical man will readi-.

of drying-oil, such as linseed-oil, or nut or poppy-oil, melting the parafline to facilitate the admixture, and then casting the same in blocks, which are used in the manner above described, or the fabric saturated with the parafiine may have a coating of drying-oil. My object in applying paraii'ino to wood, is to fit it the better for being manufactured into "essel's of capacity, as 'vats, cisterns, and casks, or barrels.

The parafiine may be applied to the wood in the form of planks or of stares, or to the vessels when manufiietured.

Gasks or barrels, for containing ale or beer, may be'lienefieially treated with pure paraiiine. The easks are first to he dried, by hot air, and the melted parafline is to be poured therein. The casks being then closed, are rolled over and over, until thoroughly saturated. After this, they are to he again heated, and any excess of pm'afiine contained therein is to he turned out Claim.

What I elaim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is"

The employment and application of parafline, in a solid state, to wood, leather, paper, or textile fabrics, composed of cotton, linen, wool, or silk, by means of a metal plate, heated to a temperature from 130 to 250 1 ahrenheit, the article to he treated to be stretched thereon, and then manipulated, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in th presence" of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses: JOHN STENHOUSE.

J. HENRY JOHNSON,

47 Lincolns Inn Fields, London. HENRY STEVENS,

Clerk to JII'r. J. H'en/ry Johnson,

47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London. 

